Ralph Stahl

The slow and fast pyrolysis of cherry seed.

The slow and fast pyrolysis of cherry seeds (CWS) and cherry seeds shells (CSS) was studied in fixed-bed and fluidized bed reactors at different pyrolysis temperatures. The effects of reactor type and temperature on the yields and composition of products were investigated. In the case of fast pyrolysis, the maximum bio-oil yield was found to be about 44 wt% at pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C for both CWS and CSS, whereas the bio yields were of 21 and 15 wt% obtained at 500 °C from slow pyrolysis of CWS and CSS, respectively. Both temperature and reactor type affected the composition of bio-oils. The results showed that bio-oils obtained from slow pyrolysis of CWS and CSS can be used as a fuel for combustion systems in industry and the bio-oil produced from fast pyrolysis can be evaluated as a chemical feedstock.

Routine determination of anions by capillary electrophoresis and ion chromatography

Abstract Non-suppressed ion chromatography and capillary electrophoresis are used in routine analysis for the identification and determination of anions such as fluoride, formate, chloride, carbonate, bromide and nitrate in aqueous soil leachates and process solutions. Practical aspects of the analysis of samples that contain unknown components using these two orthogonal methods are discussed. The detection limits are found to be about 0.2 μg/ml for chromatography and about 2 μg/ml for electrophoresis. Both methods show linear calibration functions in the concentration ranges 1–50 and 5–50 μg/ml. respectively.

Ion chromatographic determination of chloride, chlorate, and perchlorate in sulfuric acid solutions

SummaryThe determination of chloride and perchlorate by non-suppressed ion chromatography in aqueous process solutions containing a high sulfate background is described. The method is reliable and fast. The sensitivity for perchlorate is lower than for other anions like nitrate, nitrite and chlorate. The detection limits are about 0.3 μg/ml with linear calibration curves within a concentration range from 1 to 50 μg/ml.

Thermal behaviour of oil contaminated residues from metal cutting

The thermal behaviour of oil contaminated residues from metal cutting is studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). Reaction energy, peak shift and formal activation energy were determined. It was found that the combustion of oil is increased because of tribomechanical activation at the metal surface. To avoid uncontrolled ignitions during transport or storage of these sludges, guidelines for their save handling were established.